Apparatus for removing foreign material from air



F. A. SCHMIEG 2,347,334

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 my DUDE DUDE April 25, 1944.

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM AIR Filed March 3, 1945 A JD 5 2 BBB BBB DU D z m M H 6 April 25, 1944. F. A. SCHMIEG 2,347,334

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM AIR Filed March s, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w E N R .0 7 ,1 A

Patented Apr. 25, 1944 PATENT. or-Fics APPARATUS. FOR REMOVINGFOREIGN MATERIAL FROM AIR.

Francisf'l. Schmie'g, Franklin Village, Mich., as-

signqnto Schlnieg Industries, Detroit, Michgia. firm consisting of himself and John D. Schmieg, PleasantRidge-,.;Mich. Application Mar'ch'3, 1943, Serial No. 477,823

3 Claims. (ores-115) The present invention relates to apparatus for removing foreign material from air andparticularly relates to thedry type of suchapparatus.

One of the primary objects of .the present invention is to provide improvements in apparatus of the type mentioned: in which [the cleaning unit is incorporated in a portable, plural station work bench, and in which the cleaned air may be returned directly to the room in which'the bench is located, in the region of the workers around the edges of the bench;

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for discharging-the dust containing air into a suction chamber having the inlet'of the suction fan disposed therein so that a substantial portion of the foreign material isremoved from the air-before entry into theinletof the fan: I

Afurther object of the invention is to provide improvements in apparatus of the type men-i ti'onedyin which the'airfrom the suction chamher is discharged-into a plenum chamber and diifused therein so that when 'passedthrough filters-in being discharged back intothe'room, the'passage is not concentrated at a particular point,- but spreadover the entire. area "thereof.

The workbenchi-s adaptedto support a phi-f rality of grindersat a plurality of work stations thereon, and anotherobject of the invention is to provide improved, individual means .for' conducting the grin'ding dust from the grinding wheel to the -suction chamber foreac'hpf the grinders, which is universallyadjusta-ble' so that the bench may be used to its best advantage when'different operations are being performed at the various workstations.

Another object of the invention is to provide compact and inexpensive air cleaning apparatus associated witha portable work bench so that the work bench, including the cleaning apparatus,. may beconveniently moved to the desired location in the work room; 1

Otherobjects of theiinvention will become ap-- parent from .the; follow-ing:.specification, the drawingsrelating ;the1:eto, and :from the claims hereinafter set forth; i

In the drawings; in -w3o.ich,.like;,numerals are: used to designate like parts in the several views throughout:

Figure l is a perspective view of a portable. work bench and cleaning unithaving. a plurality of workstations therein and. embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional.viewtaken substan. daily-along the line 2-2 of Fig. I;

Fig. 3 is a, cross-sectional view taken substan tially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and j Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. land illustrating a modified form of the. present invention.

Referring to the drawings, and referring'par ticularly to Figs. 1 to 3 thereof,,one embodiment of the'present'invention is illustrated in which a combined work bench and cleaning unit are gen-1- erally indicated at Hi. horizontal work surface l2; which may beformed of a suitable material, but'which is preferably formed of tempered inasonite so. thatit is spark resistant. Thetop 12' may besupportedyon suit. able upright frame members l-4,-which maybe formed of wood or other suitable material andb'e suitably secured thereto. The, frame members 14 restupona bottom member l6 and are secured thereto. The bottom-member thus-con fines the bottoms of the-chambers, which will be described hereinafter: Thejtop l -Z overhangs the frame members l4, asshown in Figs. '1' tot; so that the operators may conveniently-Work at the bench. I 1

It will be understood-that the benclrmay be ofsuitable shape or size so that it provides a'plw rality of work stations. Grinders (not-shown) may be disposed on the work surface l2 and S-' cured thereto at the various work stations: -It will be appreciated that, if desired; such 'work stations may be separated from each other by vertical partitions which maybe suitably mount ed to the top of the work surface-l2;

A suction chamber i8 is formed under the sin: face l2 and is enclosed by side wall members 20 and'end wail members 22. The upper portions of such wall members are flared 'outwardlmfas shown in Figs. 2 and'3, so that apertures may be provided. through-the work surface 12 over 'a sub stantial area thereof for communication with suction chamber it. One of the'wal1-members 20 or 22 adjacent to the bottom thereof may be provided with a removabledoor so that access may-be had tothe bottomof chamber I8 for the purpose of removing the dust which has been collected therein.

A plenum chamber 24 is disposed around the suction chamber 18 withinthebonfines of the work surface l2. Such plenum chamberfl-M is defined by the top member I2, the bottominember 6,and means including vertically disposed air filter members 26. Such filter members. 26 are conventional fibrous filter sections comprising irameshavingflfibrous material, such as glass wool} disposed.- therein. .Thej' air. is cleaned alsf'it passes through the fibrous material. Thesec Such bench includes a working surface l2. Such grilles provide communication from the grinding regions to the suction chamber I 8. The dust-laden air passing into such chamber is directed downwardly so that a substantial portion of the dust drops to the bottom of the chamber before entry into the fan inlets. The remaining structure may be the same as that described above, in connection with the embodiment first described.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for removing foreign material from air, comprising a portable work bench having a work surface thereon, means providing a suction chamber under said work surface, means providing a plurality of apertures through said surface at spaced places on said surface and communicating with said suction chamber, an elongated flexible conduit member extending through each of said apertures having its outlet communicating with the interior of said suction chamber, adjustable means mounted on said surface and connected to the conduit members adjacent the inlets thereof for adjustably positioning each of said inlets, a suction fan having its inlet disposed within said suction chamber above the bottom of said chamber, mean defining a plenum chamber around said suction chamber below and Within the projected area of said work surface, said last named means including air filtering members, the outlet of said fan being directed into said plenum chamber, and means disposed adjacent said outlet to diffuse the air discharged through said outlet within the plenum chamber.

2. Apparatus for removing foreign material from air, comprising a portable work bench having a work surface thereon, means providing a suction chamber under said work surface, means providing a plurality of apertures through said surface at spaced places on said surface and communicating with said suction chamber, an elongated flexible conduit member extending downwardly through each of said apertures with a portion of flexible conduit extending into said chamber and with its outlet communicating with the interior of said chamber, adjustable means mounted on said surface and connected to the conduit members adjacent the inlets thereof for adjustably positioning each of said inlets, a suction fan having its inlet disposed within said suction chamber above the bottom of said chamber, means defining a plenum chamber around said suction chamber below and within the pro- J'ected area of said work surface, said last named means including air filtering members, the outlet of aid fan being directed into said plenum cham ber, and means disposed adjacent said outlet to difiuse the air discharged through said outlet within the plenum chamber.

3. Apparatus for removing foreign material from air, comprising a portable Work bench having a work surface thereon, means providing a suction chamber under said work surface, means providing a plurality of apertures through said surface at spaced places on said surface and communicating with said suction chamber, an elongated flexible conduit member extending downwardly through each of said apertures with a portion of the flexible conduit extending into said chamber and with its outlet communicating with the interior of said chamber, adjustable means mounted on said surface adjacent each conduit member and connected to the adjacent conduit member adjacent the inlets thereof for individually adjustably positioning each of said inlets, a suction fan having its inlet disposed within said suction chamber above the bottom of said chamber, means defining a plenum chamber around said suction chamber below and with in the projected area of said work surface, said last named means including air filtering members, the outlet of said fan being directed into said plenum chamber, and means disposed adjacent said outlet to diffuse the air discharged through said outlet within the plenum chamber.

FRANCIS A. SCHMIEG. 

